In a tense display, the Wicklow side sealed a famous win in mixed conditions in Kildare. Arklow had the first scoring opportunity when fullback Daragh Kavanagh’s drop goal skewed wide of the upright in the seventh minute.

Portlaoise roared back through impressive flankers Glen Adams and Joe Cooper. Both players were denied in successive movements and Arklow did well to clear the line from the boot of Quenton O’Neale after sustained pressure.

With second row Richie Murphy authoritative from the set piece, Arklow slowly came back into the game and it was one such move that led to Arklow’s best move of a lively first half when wing Sean O’Neill took a clever O’Neale lay-off, but his effort was denied by some rigid Portlaoise defence.

The see-saw nature of the opening period continued and a penalty from the boot of wing Jamie Kavanagh fell inches wide of the upright.

In the 34th minute Daragh Kavanagh made amends for his earlier missed effort with a penalty to give Arklow a 3-0 lead.

His opposing namesake missed successive penalties for Portlaoise in injury time and Arklow held on to their slender three-point advantage at the interval.

An excellent cross-field kick from Portlaoise scrumhalf Alan Kingsley immediately put Arklow under pressure from the off.

His dexterity sparked a Portlaoise revival with the impressive Kieran Rigney imposing himself throughout the half.

Jamie Kavanagh made a superb break up the flank on the hour and, with space limited, kicked ahead only for an Arklow back to clear the danger.

Eventually Portlaoise’s pressure told and Kavanagh levelled the scoring with a penalty in the 65th minute to set up a grandstand finale.

Liam Plunkett broke through the Portloaise defence as Arklow lifted themselves and flanker Bob Baggot barged over in the corner on the stroke of full-time to seal a famous win in Athy.

Portlaoise scorers: J. Kavanagh (penalty)

Arklow scorers: B. Baggot (try), D. Kavanagh (penalty)

Portlaoise: K. Flanagan, I. Galbraith, D. Graham, G. Cooper, J. Kavanagh, J. Kingsley, A. Kingsley; C. Casey, B. Telford, A. Gee, K. Rigney, G. Peavoy, J. Cooper, G. Adams, B. Gee

Subs: J. Dowling, P. McEvoy, D. Rigney, M. Fennelly, M. Delaney

Arklow: D. Kavanagh, S. O’Neill, L. Plunkett, M. Rangitaawa, M. Prestige, Q. O’Neale, J. O’Toole; A. Plunkett, I. Conway, A. O’Donnell, P. McDonald, R. Murphy, B. Baggot, R. Vigors, D. Wyeth

Subs: B. Byrne, T. O’Scannail, B. O’Neil, C. O’Neil, S. Nulty

Referee: Des Woods (ARLB)